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State of emergency, shelters fill as intense rains continue

Cancun, Q.R. – Since the rains began to fall last Thursday, nearly every part of the state has seen its share of flooding.

The system, which continues to plague the entire state, was responsible for massive flooding and the closure of schools as far north as Bacalar and Chetumal.

The rains have been so intense that tourist operations in Cancun and the Riviera Maya have been paralyzed while other forms of commercial activity have been severely disrupted. Even emergency services at the General Hospital in Cancun have been interrupted due to the insistent rains.

In Cancun, some roadways were so flooded that ambulance services had to channel people to social security or private clinics because the streets were simply impassable. Other areas of Cancun began to fill their emergency shelters with those whose homes were being flooded as water from the streets poured in under doors.

Residents in Cancun deal with massive flooding from overflowing streets

In Tulum, numerous businesses were affected by the heavy rains as waters seeped inside under doorways, causing loss of merchandise and business. There have been reports of standing water levels of 50 cms deep.

When the rains did let up, many people took to the streets with rolled up pants to cross flooded sections in an attempt to get to where they needed to go. Laborers hired to complete projects have also been affected as they’ve been unable to work and left without pay for the past several days.

On Sunday, the Ministry of the Interior issued a state of emergency for the municipalities of Benito Juarez, Solidaridad, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Bacalar and Othon P. Blanco. The state government has asked that the Fund for Emergency Response in these municipalities provide the resources to meet the food and shelter needs of those affected.

According to Civil Protection coordinator, Juan Granados Ontriveros, tropical wave No. 44 will continue to provide heavy rains throughout the state for the next 24 hours.